


Teaching and Learning

by Hekate1308



Series: The Home We've Made [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Inspired by Addams Family, M/M, creature!Castiel, siren!cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 13:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14113413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: Now that monsters have been recognized citizens for a while, it’s only natural that some people should notice they exist and wish to learn more about them. In fact, they’re all for it as long as they treat them respectfully and don’t cry for torches and pitchforks.





	Teaching and Learning

Now that monsters have been recognized citizens for a while, it’s only natural that some people should notice they exist and wish to learn more about them. In fact, they’re all for it as long as they treat them respectfully and don’t cry for torches and pitchforks.

So Dean is elated when Cas comes home from the library one day and tells him he’s been approached by a teacher. “She asked me to come and give a representation to her third graders. To show them monsters aren’t evil.”

“Did she use those exact words?” Dean asks. Because “not evil” is a pretty low bar in his book.

“Not exactly, but I figured that’s what she meant. Baby steps, love – you always tell me that.”

Dean sighs. “I guess, it’s just frustrating, considering people still think I’m your enchanted sex slave.”

“Who’s whose sex slave now and why didn’t anybody tell me? I feel betrayed.  _Betrayed_.”

So Crowley’s come to raid their fridge again. Not that Dean’s surprised. Ever since he recovered from his illness, Crowley has given up any attempt to appear aloof or unapproachable.

He rolls his eyes. “If anything like this was going on, you’d be the first to know.”

“Yeah, yeah, Squirrel, you can say that now…”

Cas interrupts them by telling Crowley about the teacher’s offer. “Sounds good. Want me to beam in while you’re holding your lecture, Feathers? I could show them a few blood rituals…”

“Crowley…” Dean says carefully. As close as they are, sometimes every monster tends to forget basic human etiquette.

“Relax, I was making a joke.”

Even Dean has to admit the thought of Crowley just showing up in a class room full of eight-year-olds is pretty funny.

* * *

“Relax, sunshine, you’ll be fine.”

“But what if they don’t like me? Or worse, what if they are scared of me?”

“They won’t be. Children are very perceptive” Dean assures him. He smiles as he takes Cas in.

“What is it?”

“That’s the suit you wore when we first met.”

“I know. I thought I might need the extra strength.”

Dean draws him into a gentle kiss. “It’s all going to be fine.” He fixes his tie. “Any chance you’ll ever learn how to do this properly?”

“Why? That’s what I’ve got you for.”

* * *

Dean is busy restoring an old Jaguar when Bobby calls. “Hey you idjit.”

“Hi Bobby. Any reason you’re calling when you know I’m at work?”

Bobby doesn’t like to beat around the bush.

“Yes. So – alright I’m just going to say it. I went fishing last week, and I have reason to believe there are… seafolks in our river.”

“You mean mermen?”

“Of course you know about them.”

“I know they exist, didn’t know there were any in South Dakota.”

“My question is: is there any reason they should suddenly show up and say hello out of the blue? Old Chaplin – he was fishing with me – freaked out. Wanted to know if it had anything to do with that “wayward boy” of mine.”

His tone is quite enough to tell Dean that Chaplin is an ex-friend of Bobby’s now (although still alive; if there were a body to dispose he’d call).

He bites his lip. Unlike Sammy, who fell in with the supernatural pretty quickly because he lives in the same city as them, he and Cas assumed that Bobby would be spared too much magic in his personal life.

They should have known better. Bobby already knew a bit about monsters when he first came to visit them after all.

“There’s something you should know…”

After he finishes explaining, Bobby says matter-of-factly “I think I should put up some protections. I don’t really want any gremlins running around my scrap yard.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“You’ll call Crowley, won’t you.”

“it’s the fastest way. But if you –“

“It’s alright. Thank God I still have Craig in the house.”

Immediately after they have hung up, Dean informs Crowley that Bobby’s scales have tipped down towards “magic” and manages to make him go to his place with only slight dramatics – mostly an exclamation of “Someone saves your life once, and you immediately become their bell boy”.

Dean can’t help but wonder what Bobby’s neighbours will think.

* * *

Cas focuses on keeping a firm hold on his powers as he walks to the school. At home, he doesn’t have to be careful anymore, and work usually distracts him enough that his snare doesn’t become a problem; but it tends to seep through when he’s nervous or agitated, and despite Dean’s best attempts to help him relax, that is exactly how he is feeling right now.

He really hopes the teacher, Hannah, has prepared the class well. The last thing he needs is step into a room full of people expecting a creature from a horror movie.

Hannah welcomes him at the entrance, ushering him in. “The kids are all very excited; most of them have never met a monster before, at least not that they know.”

Most monsters can conceal their inhuman attributes rather well, so it is probably they did indeed come across a few even during their short lives, but still.

The children are indeed very quiet as Hannah leads him into the room.

Cas clears his throat. “Hello. My name is Castiel Winchester, and as I am sure your teacher explained to you, I’m a siren.”

For a moment, they are silent, then the questions burst forth.

“Do you have cool superpowers?”

“Are you immortal?”

“My daddy said sirens ensnare people and make them do what they want, and then he refused to tell me more!”

Cas takes a deep breath. “Actually, it’s a little more complicated than that… How about we go through all of your questions, one at a time?”

* * *

Fifty minutes later, a small boy picks up on Cas’ favourite topic.

“You’re wearing a ring, like my mummies do. Are you married?”

Cas smiles as always, thinking of his husband. “Yes. His name is Dean.”

“Is he a siren too?”

“No, he’s human.”

“So monsters can marry humans?”

“Yes.”

“Okay”. It’s all the answer he needs.

Sometimes, children are far less complicated to deal with than adults.

* * *

Afterwards, Cas has to admit to himself that his fears were unfounded.

Hannah is over the moon. “I cannot thank you enough for this.”

“It was my pleasure. And allow me to say that your attempt to teach your students more about the world they live in is a very good one.”

“Thank you” she says, looking away. “But I should probably tell you – it’s not as selfless as you think.”

And suddenly, Cas gets a hint of – something. Hannah still looks as human as before, but just for a second, she seems unearthly beautiful to him, and if he were not a happily married siren, he’d  be pulled in by something quite similar to his snare.

Still, it’s not on full power, he can tell – it’s almost diluted, as if…

“Are you…”

“My grandmother was a mavka” she says quietly, so that no one else can hear. “They had to hide it back then, of course. Monsters were not even considered animals. She had her clothes made especially for her –“

“Hollow back” Cas nods, recalling the few mavka’s he’s met over the years.

“Yes. We were very close, but even after the Bill of Monster Rights, she wouldn’t disclose her secret. Said she’d been taught to be ashamed of herself when she was young, and that she couldn’t just turn that off. I swore to myself I would do everything to make sure the world grows more tolerant.”

“A worthy goal” Cas tells her, “And if you ever want to visit us, you’ll be most welcome.”

They part as friends.  

* * *

**How did it go?**

Cas smiles. Of course Dean sent him a text immediately after the lesson was over.

_It went well. The children had many questions. They were interested in you, too._

**Why?**

_A little boy wanted to know if monsters can marry humans. He’d noticed my ring, so I told them about you._

**The one time I leave you alone and you go gossip about all my flaws to school children.**

_I love you too. See you at home._

* * *

“Hey” Dean says when Cas comes home that night after kissing him, “Bobby called. Seems like things in Sioux Falls are going to become more magical.”

“Oh?”

“Some mermaids came to chat when he was fishing.”

Cas chuckles. “I am sorry we missed it.”

“Exactly, but don’t tell him that. Crowley fixed up his place; imagine if some poor bogey man tried to grab Bobby’s drinks.”

They laugh before moving to prepare dinner together.

* * *

Cas holds presentations at the school regularly after that first time. Soon, other teachers ask him as well.

One day, he’s putting books back where they belong when a young voice calls out “Mr. Winchester!”

He turns just in time to catch the small boy who’s barrelling towards him.

“Hello, Tobias” he greets him, recognizing him from a lesson he gave a few weeks ago.

“Mum! Dad! That’s the siren I told you about” he tells his parents when they come running.

They hesitate for a moment, then his mother blurts out, “Tobias told us so much about you, Mr. Winchester.”

His father shakes Cas’ hand.

It’s a start.


End file.
